Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA.
The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria.
In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that such assault took place after the recorded allegation went viral,urging police to investigate before yesterday’s demise of the the Baba Oba.
Sources within the Oyotunji community and palaces across Yorubaland reveal that tensions had been simmering even before the incident, particularly over the allegiance of Oyotunji Village. While the Oyo palace had asserted historical claims over the settlement, the late Baba Ọba and some others maintained that the village’s loyalty was to the Óoni of Ife, further complicating traditional alliances.
The sudden death is now threatening to snowball into a major crisis for Oba Owoade, whose young reign as Alaafin stabilizes after a fiercely contested selection process. Yoruba elders, cultural leaders, and traditional institutions across Nigeria and the diaspora urgently call for calm, warning against actions that could inflame an already volatile situation.
\A senior figure from the Council of Yoruba Elders, speaking anonymously, said, “We must tread carefully. The dignity of our institutions must be preserved. Investigations must be thorough, but we appeal for patience and wisdom in this delicate matter.”
As the family of the late Baba Ọba prepares for final rites, and an independent medical examination is reportedly underway, all eyes are now on the palace in Ọ̀yọ́ and the leadership of the Yoruba nation to manage a brewing storm that could have deep cultural and political repercussions.
This is a developing story.
